This latest global crisis has rocked our world and not in the way we would have liked. In this post we will be looking at the 4 most common objections that we might face and how to overcome them.
We are undoubtedly seeing clients hold on tighter to their money. This is understandable, as we are holding on to ours as well.
Clients are telling us that they cannot afford our products and services. Let’s face it… most of us are not looking to buy a new car or house soon either.
But if making sales is what puts bread on our tables, we need to start thinking outside the box. Now more than ever.
One thing we know for sure is that we cannot stop selling! We need to believe in what we do and know that we can help our clients in midst of this crisis.
Objections have always been inevitable, and we will be facing a lot more of them in this time.
There is obviously a lot of well-founded fear, uncertainty, and anxiety at the moment.
More time at home means less time out. Which in its own unsettles the majority of people. But this means there are actually more money in the pockets of your clients’ client. We need to help our client see that too.
People have been spending less, they just do not realize it.
What has always been important, and now even more so is the fact that we need to be able to empathize with our clients.
This crisis, believe it or not, actually makes it easier to humanize our clients, because on the most part, we are in the same boat they are.
Here are 4 “common” objections that we can expect:
“I can’t buy because of Covid-19.”
Reframe these types of objections for your client.
They are not currently seeing the world as a bigger picture; they are only seeing their world, filled with mostly fear of the unknown and unsureness of what tomorrow might bring.
What we need to do is reframe this fear into opportunity. Explain to our clients how we can increase their business and market share.
It is a well-known fact that both Unilever and Coca-Cola actually increased their marketing spent in times of recessions. These brands are among those who showed growth and market increase in tough times.
Even though this is a virus and not a recession, the economic curve looks pretty similar.
“My clients will not be buying from me, why would I buy from you.”
Acknowledge what your customer is saying… your clients are also buying less from you, so you really can understand where they are coming from.
Again, reframe your customers concern. Determine if your product or service can really be used by your customer at this time, and then communicate the importance through to him/her.
“The art of closing sales is not the process of persuading people to make decisions, but the art of making decisions with which people agree”
“Not sure if I can commit right now, we have no people in the office”
A lot of people are working from home right now. Depending on your client’s business, and the service or product you are selling, this could be a blessing in disguise. If your clients’ staff are at home, they will have more time to do what needs to get done. It gives them more time to work a new program or practise software. More time at home, means more time to familiarize yourself with your product or service. This will also allow for more time to personalize or customize it to your client’s requirements if need be.
Widen your customer frame.
If they need the product or service you are selling, and it can benefit their business, why not commit right now?
“I cannot spend money right now; I am unsure of what it is unfolding in the market”
This is not a ‘real’ objection. This is your customer telling you how they feel.
Call out the elephant in the room. You know exactly what your client is talking about, so allow your customer this time to open up to you. Refocusing to the sale on the get go might not be the way to win trust.
Because this is more emotional than anything else, you need to be supportive of that, show empathy and get to the real objection.
Ask why they FEEL this way until you get to the bottom of the real objections stopping your client from buying.
They might be concerned that their own clients might be losing business, they might also just be worried about their own business not surviving.
How is what you are selling going to benefit them in the long run? How will your product or service assure them that there will be a business to run once this crisis is over.
It is important to logically explain this to your client and help them see the opportunity that you are offering.
Selling in this time is not the easiest thing to do.
This is the time to show empathy, not close sales hard. You need to realize that you cannot engage with your customer the way you did a few weeks ago. It is important to understand the pressures your clients are facing and qualify your clients differently.
The most important thing in this time is to remain positive, and instead of staring into the darkness with your client, rather show them the light.
References:
https://oneclass.com/
https://books.google.co.za/ – Advertising Promotion and Other Aspects of Integrated Marketing Communications